Hood latch



Dec. 16, 1930.

y c. B. GILMORE Hoon LATCH Filed July 14, 1928 Il i) Patented Das. 15,193i) UNITED .slf-rArES PTaNT'i-rics l* CHARLES B. GILMORE, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, lissIcrNon` Tol CHICAGO' roneING & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, orCLIIcAedILLINors, .a CORPORATION or ILLINOIS HOOD LATCH l Applicationined Jury 14, 192s. serialk No. 292,641.

My invention relates to ahood latch or clamp for automobile closures andhas for one purpose to provide such a clampV which will be cheap tomanufacture and simple and eflicient to operate. Another object is theprovision of such a clamp which Shall direct pressure both downwardlyand inwardly against the lower edge ot an .automobile closure or hood.Other objects will appear` from time to time.

l illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation; y

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4L is a partial section, similar to Figure Q, of a variant Jformof my device.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specication anddrawings.

A generally indicates a longitudinal automobile frame member, upon whichis mounted any suitable closure abutment A1. y

B indicates the lower edge of the automobile hood the bottom B1 of whichnormally engages the outer side of the abutment A1, when in closedposition. B2 generally indicates a clamp engaging or receiving memberherein shown as including the plate .B5 secured by the bolts B4 andsupporting the outer bracket or abutment extension B5.

C generally indicates a base member for the latch. Pivoted to it as atC1 isthe bell crank lever C2 having the generally horizontal arm C5 andthe generally vertical arm C4 and the hood engaging portion C5. C5indicates a compression spring tending normally to so rotate thebellcrank lever as to thrust the head engaging portion .C5 laterallyinwardly against the face of the hood. rEhe arm C3 is notched orapertured as at C1.

Further mounted on the base member C is a second latch assemblygenerally indicated as D and including a stem D1 with its bottomenlargement D2 passing through the aperture D3 on the base member C toprovide a swivel connection. The upper end of the showing.

pin D-1 is provided with a head D4. D5 indicates alatoh .cylinder whichis inwardly turned at ythe bottom as at VD6 in` ordery to secure thewasher D7. Compressed between the washer D7 and the head D4 is `the coilspring D8 which tends normally tomove the lgpch member D5downwardlyalongthe upin member for the latch cylinder D5, including thelinger or handle member D19 and the hookV member D11 adapted to engagethe abutrnentBf.'l Y i `i .i

It will be realized that whereas Ihave described and shown a practicalandoperative device, nevertheless many changes might be made-insize,'shape, number and disposition of parts without .departing VJfromthe spirit .of my invention. I therefore wishmy description and drawingsto be taken lasin a broad sense illustrativeand diagrammatic ratherlthan as limitingy me t'o my specific rlhe use and operation of myinvention are asfollows: l

I provide two normally independent latch members one directing pressureinwardly against the bottom of the hood andthe other directing pressuredownwardly against the lower edgeotthe hood latch.` The second memberholds thel hood .downwardly in place .and the Erst ,memben by thrustingit in'- .wardly against the `abutment `l-r1,preven`ts rattle. Iny normaloperation ofthe device,

"and :during operative connection, the ytwo members are .entirelyindependent, the coil springs C and D8 respectively operatingindependently to thrust the lever C4 in and to `draw the latch yhoolrelement D11' down.

However, when the' .operator vreleases the hood lby lifting the handleD10 and releasing ,wthe hook D11, henormallyreleases the handleD1fthereafter andpermits it toV move-downwardly along the pin-'D1 inresponse to the expansion of the' spring D5. A.W hen the `latch D5 isthusdownwardlymoved it engages the n leverarmv C5? and withdraws itsassociated lever arm C4 into the. dotted line position shown in FigureyThus although the two latch `elements are in operation independent,while the hood is closedrwhentlre down- D5 indicates any suitable headory topv Wardly acting latch is released it immediately movement of thedown clamp element after moves to position to withdraw the inwardly therelease of the down clamp element from acting latch. Y

As illustrated in Figure -4,`the lever arm C2 may have mounted upon thevertical arm C4 a sepa-rate contact member C15" of any suitablematerial.

I claim:

1.In a hood latch for automobile hood operative kengagement with thehood.

State of Illin closures, the combination of adown clamp element adaptedto exert 'a thrust downwardly against the hood, and a lateral th-rust'element adapted to exert a thrust laterally against the hood, the twobeing-independent in their operation during theirsimultaneousoperativeconnection witlrthe closure, and

means associated withfthe down clamp element for withdrawing the lateralthrust element fromoperative engagement withlthe h'ood'in response tomovement ofthe down clampelement after its release.

' 2. In afhood latch for automobile hood closures,u a down clampelementadapted to exert a thrust downwardly ,against said hood,

Asaid element including a base member, a stem mor/'ably mountedonsaidbase Vmember, a latch slidable on said stem and yielding means normallytending tothrust said latch downwardly'along'said stem, and ai lateralthrust element, I separately mounted Y adjacent' the Vhoodand adaptedto-exert a thrust laterally thrust element,separately mounted adjacentlaterally against thehood and means, for withdrawing the lateralr thrustelement from operative engagement withl thehood in`response to themovement of the latch member Vdownwardlyalon,f 1,"sa`id pinthe lateralthrust member being in the form of a bell'crank lever, one of theykarmsthereofbeing opposed the hood i and adapted toi `exert a thrust totheface'jof thehood closure, the `otlierbeing'in the line of rdownward'movement ofthe latchV member'.

fl. In a hood latch forautomobilevhood Y closures, in combination, alateral thru-stelement and means tending normally to thrust said lateralelement -against'the hood', a down clamp element, mounted4 independentlyot said lateral thrust element, and adapted to exerta thrust downwardlyagainstf'thev hood, andmeans `for withdrawing the lateral thrust elementrromthe hotdm response-'t0' ois, this 23 day of June, 1928. CHARLES B.GILMORE.

